Shore is Monday

Even at camp you get  Mondays..... Before the sun broke the horizon there were bank issues.  Then a fish tied my hook to the rope holding the boat.  Another fish hooked me on about half a mile of someone elses monofilament...it went and on.                   The good news is....fish are biting birds are singing, loons are motor boating up the lake and yodeling like mad. I love this place!

Between Two Worlds

I love our little world here on the farm. It's exciting to get up in the morning to see what each new day will bring, whether it be new birds, fun with Peggy, pretty blossoms on the bean plants, or stunning skies all day and night. There are many challenges to farm life and to two families sharing facilities, but there are rewards aplenty, one of which is never suffering from boredom. I hate to be bored.

However, once a year, for just one week, I also love my other world....a world of coffee and sunrise on the front porch, which extends out over the water...of waiting to see whether a beaver or an otter or a set of Common Loons will float past the cabin in the early hours before the rest of the lake is awake. Of counting different birds than at home, those loons, usually a Black-throated Blue Warbler that nests above the cabin, and only the Lord who puts them there knows what else.

It's a world of reading as much as I want to...and that's a lot....enjoying visits from beloved friends and family and having enough time and a good place to actually sit and talk in relative peace.

Swimming...as old and feeble as I seem to be getting, as long as I can clamber back up on the dock...not an easy task I'm sad to say...I will swim every summer. 

Or at least I will if there are no ice chunks floating on the waves. We keep talking about finding an old pool ladder, but so far we haven't found one.

Later today we will pack the car with more junk stuff than you would ever imagine two women needing. Still we won't have a car, so if we forget it, we do without it....we try not to forget.

If phone service lives up to expectations I will try to share the fun with you. Otherwise, see you next Saturday. 

Have a great week.

Summertime

The boy who made this splash was too quick for me

Comments Revisited

If you are a Blogger blogger, you no doubt noticed that after a recent update that you no longer receive email notifications of comments on your blog. If like me you want to answer all your comments to keep the conversation moving this was a big pain in the neck.

Yesterday a friend I "met" through blogging, who is much more conversant with computer technology than I, sent me  a walk through that will get those notifications turned back on.

I followed the directions and it works fine, so thanks Ruth for the great information! Now if I fail to reply to your comments you can give me heck if you want to....I no longer have an excuse. You could even do it in the comments section....

Choreography

We happened upon a mighty clutch of Hooded Merganser babies this morning. They were up under the aqueduct at Schoharie Crossing SHS. With the sparkling morning sunlight and their general overall cuteness it was a fine moment.

Then as they swam away from me up the tranquil pool, they all dove in precise unison. I suppose there was some signal from mama that the old lady up on the ramp was a threat.

It was an event of uncanny perfection. 10 ducks, swirl of water, 0 ducks, just like that.

It's the little things....

Many ducks and songbirds live out their summer under the aqueduct.

The Week in Birds

American Crow hanging out at McDonald's...I mean, what crow wouldn't?

Over the past few days we have picked up a couple of new ones for the year, although it is getting really hard to find them. The county total for the year so far has already surpassed ALL of last year's sightings, and I have seen as many as I saw all year too, although I am still behind another birder. We saw a Great Horned Owl flying in a brilliant orange sky as Red-winged Blackbirds dive bombed it the other night at sunset. It was amazing.

This Green Heron and its family are so cooperative
when I go down to the aqueduct where they hang out

Then we heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo down by the river...I was even able to record its calls...

Immature Ring-billed Gull

Otherwise the main excitement is just seeing regular birds do interesting things and trying for better photos of ones I have already seen.

Canada Gosling

There is always something to keep it interesting. The video below is a bit of excitement the other day. I don't know what set the guineas off down in the barn but I hurried down to check as they were really tuning up. Never did see anything, but I am certain that they did!

Hammonds Freed

Many Farm Side columns have been written about this story .....this is good news indeed! 

Well, done Mr. President.

Comments are Fun

Especially spam comments and those awaiting moderation. But what's up with Blogger not notifying of posted comments with email any more? I hate that.

Comment 1) Thanks for the good writeup. It actually was a enjoyment account it.
Glance complicated to far brought agreeable from you!
However, how could we communicate?

Comment 2) Great beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your website, how could i subscribe for a blog web site?

The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit 
acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear concept.

And 3) Hi, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was 

just wondering if you get a lot of spam comments?
If so how do you protect against it, any plugin or anything you can recommend?
I get so much lately it's driving me crazy so any help is 
very much appreciated.

Why, yes, yes I do get a lot of spam comments. Thanks so much for adding to that wonderful total.

What do Rattlesnakes, Bear Paws, and Rainbow Sherbet

Not a rattlesnake

...have in common?

Why they are all research topics for this week's Farm Side, of course.

And I can tell you this much about them: Rainbow sherbet does indeed contain milk. It's Big Nose Mountain on the north of the river in Yosts, where there used to be snakes at the gas station. I always get them mixed up and have to look up which mountain is where.

They were Timber Rattlers. We were much impressed as kids.

And it's Adirondack Bear Paw not bear claw. Ice cream that is. I get it wrong every time, and have to consciously wrap my mind around the name. The struggle is real.

Also not a rattlesnake

New Yard Bird

He showed up in the yard this weekend when the kids stopped by to pick up some stuff and give me a birthday present. He's a welcome visitor and came complete with the ability to feed his fellow birds some tasty sunflower seeds....a pretty cool dude. Thanks, Alan and Amber!

Happy Birthday, Mappy

If you see this guy today

He's probably smiling

Or helping somebody in some way

Or messing around with these things

Cause that's what he does

Whatever he's doing I hope you will join us in wishing him a very Happy Birthday
Love you, Mappy!

Getting Even

Bête noire of the back yard

Mama doesn't know it, but she got a little revenge this morning. 

I was born a tomboy and liked to scare her with critters, frogs, toads, snakes, and the like. I loved em. She didn't.

Anyhoo, this morning I finished hanging out towels and stopped to work on the garden pond. Filter was shrouded in string algae and barely running at all.

Leaning over to lift it out of the water I came face-to-face with a huge small-to-medium Green Frog. 

Inches away.

I screamed. Stumbled backwards and nearly fell over. I'm not afraid of frogs, love em in fact, but I was so darned startled.

Of course there was an audience. The boss was standing right behind me. He is a fine man and only laughed a little.

So mom, I hope you enjoyed your small revenge via Karma. She is, as ever, well, you know.

Guess I'll go fill the pond now.

A Day in the Valley